Office of Public Affairs Two Virginia Men Arrested for Conspiring to Destroy Government Databases United States Department of Justice
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ppArchived NewsppTwo Virginia men were arrested today for their roles in a conspiracy to destroy government databases hosted by a federal government contractor among other crimesppThese defendants abused their positions as federal contractors to attack government databases and steal sensitive government information Their actions jeopardized the security of government systems and disrupted agencies ability to serve the American people said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R Galeotti of the Justice Departments Criminal Division The Criminal Division remains committed to investigating and prosecuting those who compromise sensitive information and threaten the integrity of government operationsppThe malicious and intentional criminal actions allegedly committed by the defendants in this case undermine the ability of the United States to serve our citizens effectively and transparently said US Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia This office will hold accountable anyone who abuses the trust placed in them to safeguard vital government information and we will prosecute those who deliberately compromise our data infrastructureppDestroying government records and data is unlawful and can jeopardize public safety and the integrity of agency operations said Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC Inspector General Jennifer L Fain Such misuse and exploitation by government contractors will not be tolerated We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of wrongdoing that pose a threat to federal agency programs and operations and services they provide to the American peopleppFederal contractors who abuse their positions will be held accountable for their actions said Department of Homeland Security DHS Inspector General Joseph V Cuffari PhD The actions of individuals like Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter are threats to our national security The Office of Inspector General remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justiceppAccording to court documents brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter both 34 of Alexandria Virginia were indicted on Nov 13 for conspiring to delete databases used to store US government information Both men were federal contractors Following the termination of their employment the brothers allegedly sought to harm the company and its US government customers by accessing computers without authorization issuing commands to prevent others from modifying the databases before deletion deleting databases stealing information and destroying evidence of their unlawful activitiesppThe indictment alleges that on or about Feb 18 Muneeb Akhter deleted approximately 96 databases storing US government information Many of these databases contained records and documents related to Freedom of Information Act matters administered by federal government departments and agencies as well as sensitive investigative files of federal government componentsppCourt documents further allege that approximately one minute after deleting a DHS database Muneeb Akhter asked an artificial intelligence tool how to clear system logs following the deletion of databasesppAccording to the indictment the brothers also discussed cleaning out their house in anticipation of a law enforcement search The company laptops used by both men were wiped before being returned to the federal contractorppMuneeb Akhter also allegedly obtained information from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission without authorization after he was fired from the contractor He is further alleged to have stolen copies of IRS information stored on a virtual machine including federal tax information and other identifying information of at least 450 individualsppThe indictment also charges Sohaib Akhter with trafficking in a password that could access a computer used by and for the government of the United StatesppMuneeb Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records two counts of computer fraud theft of US government records and two counts of aggravated identity theft Sohaib Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records and computer fraud password trafficking If convicted Muneeb Akhter faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison on the remaining charges If convicted Sohaib Akhter faces a maximum penalty of six years in prisonppThe FDIC Office of Inspector General OIG DHS OIG and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Agriculture OIG Department of Education OIG Environmental Protection Agency OIG Equal Employment Opportunity Commission OIG Federal Reserve Board OIG Department of Health and Human Services OIG DHS Office of the Chief Security Officer Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG Department of the Interior OIG International Development Finance Corporation OIG Department of Justice OIG Department of Labor OIG Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG Small Business Administration OIG Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Department of Veterans Affairs OIG United States Capitol Police and Fairfax County Virginia Police DepartmentppTrial Attorneys George Brown and Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Divisions Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section CCIPS and Assistant US Attorney Vanessa Strobbe for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the caseppCCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies often with assistance from the private sector Since 2020 CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over 350 million in victim funds ppAn indictment is merely an allegation All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of lawppThe Justice Department today announced five guilty pleas and more than 15 million in civil forfeiture actions against the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK remote information technology IT workppA complaint filed in the District of New Jersey was unsealed today charging Thalha Jubair a United Kingdom national with conspiracies to commit computer fraud wire fraud and money launderingppEarlier today a New York man was resentenced to three years in prison for his creation and operation of BreachForums a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy sell and trade hacked orppOffice of Public AffairsUS Department of Justice950 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington DC 20530ppOffice of Public Affairs Direct Line2025142007ppDepartment of Justice Main Switchboard2025142000ppSignup for Email UpdatesSocial MediappppHave a question about Government Servicesp
Official websites use gov
A gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States
pp
Secure gov websites use HTTPS
A lock
Lock
Locked padlock
or https means youve safely connected to the gov website Share sensitive information only on official secure websites
ppArchived NewsppTwo Virginia men were arrested today for their roles in a conspiracy to destroy government databases hosted by a federal government contractor among other crimesppThese defendants abused their positions as federal contractors to attack government databases and steal sensitive government information Their actions jeopardized the security of government systems and disrupted agencies ability to serve the American people said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R Galeotti of the Justice Departments Criminal Division The Criminal Division remains committed to investigating and prosecuting those who compromise sensitive information and threaten the integrity of government operationsppThe malicious and intentional criminal actions allegedly committed by the defendants in this case undermine the ability of the United States to serve our citizens effectively and transparently said US Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia This office will hold accountable anyone who abuses the trust placed in them to safeguard vital government information and we will prosecute those who deliberately compromise our data infrastructureppDestroying government records and data is unlawful and can jeopardize public safety and the integrity of agency operations said Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC Inspector General Jennifer L Fain Such misuse and exploitation by government contractors will not be tolerated We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of wrongdoing that pose a threat to federal agency programs and operations and services they provide to the American peopleppFederal contractors who abuse their positions will be held accountable for their actions said Department of Homeland Security DHS Inspector General Joseph V Cuffari PhD The actions of individuals like Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter are threats to our national security The Office of Inspector General remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justiceppAccording to court documents brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter both 34 of Alexandria Virginia were indicted on Nov 13 for conspiring to delete databases used to store US government information Both men were federal contractors Following the termination of their employment the brothers allegedly sought to harm the company and its US government customers by accessing computers without authorization issuing commands to prevent others from modifying the databases before deletion deleting databases stealing information and destroying evidence of their unlawful activitiesppThe indictment alleges that on or about Feb 18 Muneeb Akhter deleted approximately 96 databases storing US government information Many of these databases contained records and documents related to Freedom of Information Act matters administered by federal government departments and agencies as well as sensitive investigative files of federal government componentsppCourt documents further allege that approximately one minute after deleting a DHS database Muneeb Akhter asked an artificial intelligence tool how to clear system logs following the deletion of databasesppAccording to the indictment the brothers also discussed cleaning out their house in anticipation of a law enforcement search The company laptops used by both men were wiped before being returned to the federal contractorppMuneeb Akhter also allegedly obtained information from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission without authorization after he was fired from the contractor He is further alleged to have stolen copies of IRS information stored on a virtual machine including federal tax information and other identifying information of at least 450 individualsppThe indictment also charges Sohaib Akhter with trafficking in a password that could access a computer used by and for the government of the United StatesppMuneeb Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records two counts of computer fraud theft of US government records and two counts of aggravated identity theft Sohaib Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records and computer fraud password trafficking If convicted Muneeb Akhter faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count and a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison on the remaining charges If convicted Sohaib Akhter faces a maximum penalty of six years in prisonppThe FDIC Office of Inspector General OIG DHS OIG and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Agriculture OIG Department of Education OIG Environmental Protection Agency OIG Equal Employment Opportunity Commission OIG Federal Reserve Board OIG Department of Health and Human Services OIG DHS Office of the Chief Security Officer Department of Housing and Urban Development OIG Department of the Interior OIG International Development Finance Corporation OIG Department of Justice OIG Department of Labor OIG Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG Small Business Administration OIG Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Department of Veterans Affairs OIG United States Capitol Police and Fairfax County Virginia Police DepartmentppTrial Attorneys George Brown and Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Divisions Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section CCIPS and Assistant US Attorney Vanessa Strobbe for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the caseppCCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies often with assistance from the private sector Since 2020 CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over 350 million in victim funds ppAn indictment is merely an allegation All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of lawppThe Justice Department today announced five guilty pleas and more than 15 million in civil forfeiture actions against the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea DPRK remote information technology IT workppA complaint filed in the District of New Jersey was unsealed today charging Thalha Jubair a United Kingdom national with conspiracies to commit computer fraud wire fraud and money launderingppEarlier today a New York man was resentenced to three years in prison for his creation and operation of BreachForums a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy sell and trade hacked orppOffice of Public AffairsUS Department of Justice950 Pennsylvania Avenue NWWashington DC 20530ppOffice of Public Affairs Direct Line2025142007ppDepartment of Justice Main Switchboard2025142000ppSignup for Email UpdatesSocial MediappppHave a question about Government Servicesp
